Dear Kat,

I hope you are well. Charlie and me are delighted to be able to tell you that we had a beautiful baby boy on Friday 12 December weighing 7lb and 9oz.

Having moved to Hereford 4 weeks ago (and Charlie having finished off a chapter of his work and colluding with the baby to wait until he’d submitted it before popping out), my waters broke on Wednesday last week. We had planned on a home birth as the community midwifery team here have been outstanding and had greatly encouraged us.

We asked for a further 24 hours at home to try to get my surges established, which the hospital were happy for us to do, having done an encouraging trace after the first 24 hours. Hypnobirthing techniques enabled us to finally get things going hours before we were due back in hospital. Using the techniques you’d shown us I was able to maintain 3:10 contractions from home to hospital, and keep them going once there.

Sadly the next trace showed our baby was struggling through my contractions. From your teaching we were able to clearly keep in mind our options. Despite a home birth no longer being an option, fabulous midwives supported our decision for a water birth, trialling their new hands free ctg so we could go in the water and still be monitored.

Unfortunately I couldn’t progress the dilation fast enough and the new ctg  machine wasnt charged enough so I couldn’t spend much time off the bed trying to use upright positions to help the baby down. But I still used the hypno techniques during the two hour ctg on the bed to do what I could to open up, without needing any pain relief.

By the time we had two hours of trace the baby was still dipping with the contractions. Two registrars and a consultant, and our two midwives, carefully explained our options. It transpired I still wasn’t open enough for an FSE and then the only remaining option became a c section.

The consultant was fantastic and understood that we were hypnobirthing. We could ask how much time we had before he wanted to deliver our baby and then ensure he understood our birth preferences that we still wanted about delayed cord clamping and skin to skin. Everyone respected my need to stop and use my breath to breathe through my surges and my midwife explained to the rest of the team that I could not talk or understand what was being said to me whilst having a surge, and that they needed to wait until each had passed before taking the next step in preparing me for theatre.

I’ve suffered anxiety and panic in the past and the idea of having no option but one left and being completely stilled with a spinal block made me afraid but I was able to listen to colour and calmness through my headphones whilst being anaesthetised. Charlie was not present as he was not allowed in until I was fully prepared, but the consultant stood beside me and held my hand throughout.

The hypnobirthing techniques and the affirmation that I knew I would have my baby on my chest very soon helped me remain calm.

Joseph was born with the cord around his neck but needed no extra help and cried immediately. This explained why he had struggled so much through my surges. The team had been able to work quickly enough that he suffered no ill health at all as a result.

Since birth he has been the most peaceful and calm baby I’ve ever met (I may be slightly biased!). He lets Charlie and me mess up nappy changes and misinterpret his messages with complete patience, and is waiting quietly whilst I learn how to feed him (we managed to do the magical head bobbing for his first feed outside theatre and have done it a few times since, which was something I had hoped to do).

I think the things we learned from you enabled us to understand the process of birth and feel listened to and respected throughout the process and have our decisions prioritised. Particularly for me the course took away my fear of birth and the worry over the risks involved to the point I was ready for a home birth, which I never expected.

I also think hypnobirthing techniques I used in the last 3 months of my pregnancy has contributed to Joseph’s beautifully calm nature.

So that’s a long way of saying thank you for everything. Charlie is keen for us to start meditation together as a family and once we are discharged I’m looking forward to playing colour and calmness to Joseph at home to see his reaction now he’s on the outside.

With very best wishes,

Sarah, Charlie and Joseph x